Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-03-24

| WOTkS, as the masses OF the laUOfing
men of the country are showing them
selve deserving of the blessing o
American citizenship, and though
their doctrines may not, will not, fine
acceptance, as are being accepted th,
demand of the laborers, they will
soon become property holder.
themselves. But I have digresseG
from the subject.
| 1T is truth which every school-bcy
and schoolgirl acknowledges and sc
cepts, that with few exceptions) ev.
cry acre of land in America held by an
individual is held in return for money
paid or services rendered. and for
which, without exception, he holds the
patent of government. And in return
for which money Or services he has the
covenant of government for the quiet
and peaceful enjoyment of the same,
that it shall not be called upon to bear
more than its proportion of public bur-
dens, and that the only manner in
which bis title can re-invest in govern
ment is by the exercise of its right OF
ea7ain ent domain, which governmental
right cannot lawfully be exercised save
in case of urgent public necessity, and
even then not without adequate dam
ages and compensation, assessed by a
jury of his fellow citizens. Then, the
owner of land has in pawn for the
strength and quietness of his title the
public faith, public honesty and public
honor. 1t is debt secured in its pay
ment by first mortgage upon the peo-
ple's prosperity. A debt. to repudiate
which, debt to dishonor which, would
bring such disaster and ruin as that by
comparison to repudiate the bonded
Indebtedness of the United States would
not be as drop of water in hogs
head. And we have had some illustra-
tion of the damning effects of repudia-
tion already on Americas soil from
which we may draw a lesson. One
state in the Union repudiated a portion
OF herjust Indebtedness, aportion which
about three dollars per
head upon her citizens. Was her load
Did prosperity brighten
and smile upon her? Far from it. A
blight has fallen upon her. Business
has stagnated, and she has retrograded
while her sisters are going forward TO
greatness; and the "Oid Dominion"
the mother of states and of statesmen,
from whom sprung the Father Of his
country ard the patriarch and prophet
ofour Independence, the home of Wash
ington, and Jefferson, o: Monroe and
Madison, of "Stonewall" Jackson, and
Robert E. Lee, from whom descends
a long linqefyarriors and ofthe great
men of treet whose name was erst
while synonym for chivalry and for
honor, whose soil is enriched by the
blood Of heroes and of demigods, and
for whose hearths and shrines giants
died, now carries an humber crest, q
poorer shield; while from her borders
stream forth to happier
chimes and to more honest communities
long lines of her best and her bravest,
going to help make others what she
,Uds, while for them to think of her
is to blush as for mothers
prostitution, disgrace and dishonor.
But to again take up the thread:
Suppose it has already been determ
ined that land shall be held by the
State, but, that, in so re-investing land
in the original granter or source, the
now owners shall be paid fair valu-
alton; suppose it be determined that
such urgent public necessity exists as
to call for and justify the state in its
exercise of the right of eminent do
main, and that in exercising that func-
ton we observe all the attributes of
same, and pay for what we take; sup
pose we say we will track the plain
letter of the law and follow in the very
leading strings of justice; we will pay
these people for that which we take
for the common good.
How? Out of the common, public,
State funds? That would simply be to
give verify to the old saying about
'robhiDg Peter to pay Paul." Whence
Is derived the public and common fund
other than through taxation? And,
when we remember the proportion of
value os land, to the whole value Of all
species of property, We will get some
dea of the immense burdens of taxation |
to which we will be subject.
Shall the land owner be taxed to raise
money to make possible and carry out
An outage upon his own private right?
Shall he be required kindly to present |
MS throat and his own knife to you
hat you may slit it in comfort, and at
ease?
But you may say that you will not
burden this species of property which
s soon to become yours, with a mort
gage and incumbrance which you will
nave to pay, but raise this compensa-
.ory tax otherwise.
Will you say by SO much per cd11itds
If so, it will not be found burden
some to the class whose riches lay in |
nor to corporations whose
wealth is in joint stock certificates,
and the disregard of law by which cor
onrations have brought about many of
he evils under W hich we suffer; but,
IN the other hand, with another class,
with the very GLASS 1t is intended to
benefit this poll tax would be found to